Incense and method of making the



Sept. 10, 1935. M. e. NEUMANN INCENSE AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAMEvFiled Sept. 30, 1952 Patented Sept. 10, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE INCENSE AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Morton G. Neumann, Chicago,111.

Application September 30, 1932, Serial No. 635,625

3 Claims.

duced and is highly efficient in use.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved methodfor making incense whereby said incense may be provided with invisiblecharacters which will develop and become visible when the incense isburned.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the improved incense and in the methods ofprocedure hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanyingdrawing forming a part of this specification, and in which Fig. 1 is atop plan view of a sheet of incense blocks employed in carrying on theimproved method of manufacture;

Fig. 2 an end view of said sheet;

Fig. 3 a detailed view showing said sheet in position on a magnetictable with a magnetic stencil positioned thereon for the application ofan invisible material which will become visible upon combustion of theincense blocks;

Fig. 4 a partial top plan view of one corner of said magnetic table withupper portions broken away to reveal the underlying portions;

Fig. 5 a front view of a completed block of incense shown as mounted inposition for combustion;

Fig. 6 a side view corresponding with Fig. 5; and

Fig. 7 a partial plan view of a sheet of incense material sub-dividedinto blocks of triangular form.

In carrying on my improved process, I first prepare a paste consistingof gum tragacanth powder 3 02., saltpeter 6 grams, fine charcoal 5%lbs., coarse charcoal 1b., gum olibanum powder 5 oz., and one gallon ofwater. These materials are thoroughly mixed together and, in theproportions indicated, will form a paste capable of being rolled orspread into a flat sheet.

A rectangular sheet of the paste is then formed of suitable or desirablethickness and is subdivided into a plurality of rectangular blocks It,said blocks being defined by slits which do not extend entirely throughthe sheet, thereby only partially severing the blocks from the sheet, asindicated in Figs. 1 and 2. The sheet thus prepared is then placed on ametal screen I l of a size somewhat larger than the sheet of blocks tofacilitate handling. The sheet is then permitted to dry and the desiredperfume sprinkled or sprayed over the same. The sheet of blocks, stillresting on the screen I l, is then placed upon a magnetic table I2 and amagnetic stencil l3 placed over said sheet of blocks. is preferably madeof steel, which will be attracted by the magnetic table, and therebyheld or pressed into close and intimate contact with the upper flatsurface of the sheet of blocks. The

stencil I3 is out therethrough in desired char- 10* acters, words orletters M which it is desired to place upon the individual blocks, aseparate set of characters, words or letters being provided for eachblock l0 in the sheet of incense material. In the instance illustrated,the words Expect a 15 change for the better are thus cut through thestencil for each block [0 in the sheet.

In order to insure proper registration of the stencil characters withthe underlying blocks In, one edge of the stencil I3 is provided with ade- 20 pending gauge lip I5 so arranged that when in I contact with oneedge of the sheet of blocks, the stencil characters will properlyregister with the underlying blocks, as indicated in Fig. 4. Then theexposed portions of the blocks are sprayed 25 with a solution of coppersulphate by means of an air brush or other suitable atomizer, the finelydivided or atomized particles of the solution passing freely through theopenings in the stencil and falling upon the underlying surface 30 ofthe blocks.

Owing to the minute quantity of the copper sulphate solution containedin each atomized particle thereof, the solution will be immediatelyabsorbed by the more or less porous bodies of the blocks, and thus anytendency of the solution to spread or run under the edges of the stencilwill be prevented. In this way clear cut characters, letters or wordswill be deposited on the surfaces of the blocks. The copper sulphatesolution thus deposited is invisible, but when the incense blocks areconsumed or burned, the copper sulphate in the solution will be changedby the combustion into a visible compound, which I understand is copperoxide. In any event, when the incense blocks are consumed, the words orcharacters outlined thereon by the atomized spray will become visible.

After the spraying operation is completed, the sheets of blocks areremoved from the magnetic table, permitted to dry, and then are brokenfrom the sheet into individual blocks and are ready for use.

In order to facilitate the combustion of the blocks so as to present thecharacters or words The stencil I3 5 forwardly or on the face of theconsumed block, the marks I6 are placed on one or more front corners ofthe blocks to indicate which surface is the front surface of the block.

In Figs. and 6 I have illustrated a block ID supported on a suitableeasel or rest IT for such consumption, Fig. 5 illustrating the blockafter consumption and therefore showing the words Expect a change forthe better which will mysteriously appear on the face of the block as itis being consumed.

In Fig. 7 I have shown the sheet of material divided into a plurality oftriangular blocks l8,

which triangular blocks are recommended for use for home consumption andwhere excessive. heat of combustion is likely to cause damage orinconvenience. Naturally these triangular blocks will always bepositioned with oneapex extending. upwardly, and naturally it is thisupwardly extending apex which is ignited. As the combustion slowlyproceeds, the heat of combustion will be absorbed and distributed by thelarger lower unconsumed portion of the block, and thereby the intensityof the heat of combustion dissipated to a considerable extent withoutdoing any damage or causing any inconvenience.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of theinvention and the preferred method of making the incense, these arecapable of variation and modification without departing from the spiritof the invention.

I therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise details disclosed,but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as fallwithin the scope of the appended claims.

I claim: 5

1. The method of making incense which consists in forming a sheet ofcombustible porous material; then partially severing said sheet into aplurality of blocks; then placing said sheet on a metallic screen; thenplacing said sheet on a 10 magnetic table with a magnetic stencilarranged over the sheet; and then spraying the exposed portions of saidsheet with a liquid containing a chemical rendered visible by combustionof said body.

2. The method of making incense which consists in forming a sheet ofcombustible porous material; then partially severing said sheet into aplurality of triangular blocks; placing said sheet on a metallic screen;then placing said sheet on a magnetic table with a magnetic stencilarranged over the sheet; and then spraying the exposed portions of saidsheet with a liquid containing a chemical rendered visible by combustionof said body.

3. An article of manufacture comprising a porous body of combustibleincense having a flat surface marked with sharply outlined characters inheat-responsive sympathetic ink.

MORTON G. NEUMANN.

